Improvement in self-acting mule for spinning



` diluted gante SETI-I D. PAUL, OFWOONSOGKET, RHODE ISLAND.

Letters .Patent No. 99,342, dated February 1, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN SELF-ACTING MULE FOR SPINNING.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

To all whom it 'may conce/rn Be it known that I, SETE D. PAUL, ofWoonsocket,

in the county of Providence, and State of -Rhode Island, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Self-Acting Mules for Spinning Yarn; andIdo hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accom- .panyingdrawings, by the letters and figures marked thereon.

My ir'nprovements are principally designed for spinning woollen yarn,but the main features of the invention are also `applicable tocotton-spinning.

In order that my invention may be better understood, I will firstdescribe the successive movements required in spinning woollen yarn.

The condition of the wool when ready for spinning, is in roving orVprepared sliver, wound upon spools, which are placed upon drums back ofthe rollers. The

roving passes from the spools between the rollers, and

thence to the spindles, which are in their usual position in thecarriage.

When the mule is ready to start, the carriage and spindles areat thenearest point to the rolls, and when pnt in operation, the-carragebegins to recede from the rolls, which revolve at the same time, anddeliver the. roving at about the same speed as the traversing oi' thecarriage. The rolls continue delivering the roving until the carriage isabout half way out, when they are stopped by what I term theroller-motion, the carriage continuing on its way out until it reachesthe end otite traverse. Thus the yarn is drawn and made liner.

From the time the carriage starts out until it com- I pletes its outwardtraverse, the spindles run at a speed whichwill put the proper amount oftwist in the yarn to draw the roving smoothly, and make an even andstrong thread.

Aiter the carriage is out, the spindles continue running until theyarn-is sufficiently twisted. This twisting, after the carriage is out,is called head-twist.

While the head-twist is beingput in, the thread is somewhat shortened,and the carriage is made to move 'back suiiiciently to keep the yarn atthe right tension. This drawing-in motion ofthe carriage is'effected bydevices hereinafter described.

After the yarn is sniiciently twisted, the motion of the spindles isreversed, to unwind the same, so as to allow the faller-wires to come`down to .the proper position to guide it on the spindles when windingon. This motion of the spindles and fallers is called backifter backingo, the carriage is run in to the starting-point,the spindles revolvingat the proper speed for winding on the yarn.

The accompanying drawings are comprised in six sheets, designated by theletters A, B, O, D, E, and F.

IlrSheet A- Figure 1 shows a view in elevation of my mule, and Figure 2,a plan. Sheet B shows details of shipping-mechanisme Figure l showing anelevation of. shipping-mechanism, and

Figure 2, a plan of same.

Figure 3 shows an end view of connecting-gears from cone-pulley toscroll-shaft, also pulley for dri-ving cam-shaft.

Figure 4 shows a front view'of forked lever for op erating clutch.

Figure 5 shows a plan of cam or escape-plate, and

Figure 6 shows an elevation of same.

Sheet C shows details of roller-mechanism, as follows:

Figure 1, an elevation of' roller-mechanism;

Figure 2, a plan of same;

Figure 3, a front view of worm-gear and lever for operating clutch;

Figure 4, a front and side View of worm-gear, with cord and weightattached; and

Figure 5, a front and side view of lifter-stand.

Sheet D shows the twist and drawing-in mechanism, as follows:

Figure 1, an elevation of twisting and drawing-in mechanism v v Figure2,' a plan of same; and

Figure 3, a front and side View of worm-gear, with cord or chain andweight attached.`

Sheet E represents the ratchet-mechanism, overhead shipping andconnecting-mechanism from scroll to cam-shaft;-

Figure 1 showing a plan of falleraud ratchet-mech-- anism; Y

Figure 2, an elevation of ratchet-mechanism; Figure 3, an elevation offaller-lock; vFigure 4, a front and side view of bevel finger p dFigure5, overhead shipping-mechanism;

Figure 6, an 'elevation of connecting-mechanism from scroll tocam-shaft;

Figure 7,`a plan of connecting mechanism from scroll to cam-shaft; and

Figure 8, a plan and elevation of roller in belt-guide. Sheet F showscone-pulley, with gear attached to hub of same for connecting withscroll-shaft-l Figure 1 being an elevation, and Figure 2, a plan. Toproduce the roller-motion, I make use of the following parts:

Clutch A, lever B, latch O, upright rod D, lifter F, worm-wheel G, pinsI1 and I, weight J, 'finger K, worm L, spring 17, and stud 35.

The roller-mechanism is connected with the driving or rim-shaft 6- bythe train of gears 1, 2, 3, and 4. When the mule is ready to start, thelever B rests upon the latch 0. As the rolls revolve, the worm L movesthe wheel around unt-il the pin H comes in contact with the latch C, andforces it from under the lever P, which is then thrown down by thespring 17, thus disconnecting the clutch A, which stops the rolls.

When the carriage returns in, the lifter F passes nnder the upright rodD, thereby raisingr thelever LB` and throwing in gear the clutch A. Thelatch G then falls back under the stud 35 by its own weight, andsupports the lever B, therebyvholding in the clutch A.

lVhen the lever B drops, the worm-wheel G, which revolves on the stud 35in said lever, is disconnected from the worm L, and turned back bytheweight J, until the pin I strikes the latch C, when it rests in itsfirst position.

. Near andequidstant from the periphery of the worm-wheel G, are`holes,in one of which the pin I is fixed, the others being designed to receivethe pin H, which, when changed froml one hole to another, operate on thelatch C so as tovary the time that the rolls are in operation, and theamount of sliver delivered'.

This change of time has frequently to be made, and- `Vthis mode of doingit is simple and convenient, avoiding the use of change-gears.

When the rolls are run at a high rate of speed they acquire a momentumwhich causes them to continue their motion after the-clutch A is thrownout, delivering more sliver than is desired. To ohviate this, I have onthat part of the clutch A, which is operated by the lever B, and slidesou a key, and turns with the shaft, a bevelled surface, 15.

On the inside of the stationary cup 16, is a bevelled surfacecorresponding to the surface l5.

When the parts A are unclutched, the surface 15 is vthrown in contactwith cup 16causing a friction and checking of the rolls.

In the twist-motion, the following parts are used:

Bevel-gear M, bevel-gear N, worm O, worm-wheel P, pin Q, pin R, lingerS, cam T, finger U, lever V, cam W, (outer surface,) lever X, and weightY.

When the mule is in, ready to start, the leverX holds thcam-shaft v insuch a posit-ion ythat the cam W bears on the lever V, and holds thewheel P in the worm 0.

When the mule starts, motion is communicated from the driving shaft 6,by gear M, gear N', and worm 0, to worm-wheel P.

The carriage runs out, and, when it reaches the end of its traverse, thelever X is brought iu contact with the cam T. This permits the cam-shaft'v to make a quarter revolution, by means of which the carriage is vsSOPDed.

At this point the operation of putting in the headtwist begins. Thewheel P continues to revolve during the putting in of the head-twist,the same as while the carriage is running out, until the pin Q comes incontact with finger S, and carries it.over, so that the cam T, (which isfastened to the same shaft as finger 5h) is removed from the lever X.This allows the lever X to come up, so that the cam-shaft c makesanother quarter revolution, and the mule backs off;

At the same time, the cam W is brought in such a position as to admit ofthe disconnection of the wormwheel P from the worm O, by dropping of itsown weight, thus stopping the head-twist. Then the wheel P is turnedback'by the weight Y, until the pin R, striking the under side of leverV, reaches its first position. l

The cam-shaft now makes still another quarter revolution, and thecarriage runs iu. On arriving in, the cam -shaft makes a fourth quarterrevolution, and throws the worm-wheel P into the worin O, (its originalposition thus completing one round of operations.

Holes are drilled in wheel P, near its periphery.

' and correct method of changing the twist.

The pin It is stationary in one of these holes, and the pin Q is changedfrom one hole to another, thus varying the distance from Q to R, and,consequently, varyiug'the time requiredfor pin Q to arrive at finger S,whereby the amount of twist put in the yarn is increased or diminished.This is a simple, convenient, It is as applicable to cotton-spinning 'asto wool, and saves the expense of a large number of gears, and the laborof changing them.

The kdrawing-in motion is produced by the following parts:

Bevel-gear M, bevel Z, shell a, worm b, shaft c,- cam W, collarworm-gear c, gear f,=rack g, rod h, slidebar fi, finger l, and stand 30.l

On the-running out of the carriage, the stand 30, sliding under thelatchm, comes in contact with the nger l, on the slide-bar i, upon which saidlatch is fastened, and' continues to draw' said bar out during theremainder of its traverse, on reaching 'the end of which, the cam-shaftn makes a quarter revolution, and the cam NV, acting on the shaft c,throws the worm b into the gear c.

On the same stud with gear c is gear j, running in rack g.

lAttached to the rack gis the rod h,-connecting with the slide-bar i.The worm l, running in gear c, thereby turns `gear j, which, inconnect-ion with the rack g, draws the slide-bar t.

The finger l, being in contact with the stand 30, moves the carriageback a little vas the head-twist is going into the yarn.

In the operation of backing off, the mule has a tendency, from thereversemotion of the bands, to move in.l 'lopr'event this action, thestand 30 is caught by the latch m, a'nd held by it during saidoperation, the slide-bar being stationary while the worm b is in gear,which is the case until after the backing off.

The advantage of attaching the` latch to the slidebar, instead of theframe, as in the usual manner,` is found in the fact that it is alwaysready to act on stand 30, without regard to the distance the carriage isdrawn in by finger Z. l V

The operation of backing off is stopped bythe dropping of that end ofthe lever X to which the linger 32 is attached.

. The said finger nowstrikes the end of latch m and throws it off fromstand 30, allowing the carriage to run 1n.

To throw the ratchet in gear after backing olf, I use the followingparts:

Fingern, bevel-plate o, bevcl-fingcrp, bevel-finger q.

The faller-lock 23 is connected, by the rod 24, to the finger n. Y

When the carriage backs off,l the faller-lock drops down over the catch'25, and, at the same time, throws .up the finger a, which causes thebevelled finger p to act on the bevelled surface ofthe plate 0, forcingit toward the ratchet 21.

The bevelled linger' q then 'acts'on the ratchet 21, and presses it intothe ratchet-wheel 22. The ratchet 2l remains in gear while the mule isrunning in after backing off.

The object of the .spring r is to hold the ratchet out of gear at Ialltimes, excepting when the carriage is running in after backing otf. v

The cone-pulleys are attached to the main or driving and counter-shafts,and impart a gradual increase of speed to the spindles, rolls, andcarriage, c. iprising all the working-parts of the machine, while thecarriage is running out.v The product of the machine is thus increasedfrom ten to fifteen per cent. over the old method of running out attauniform speed, or the mule may be started slower than usual, andgradually increased, so that the average speed will be the same as 'bythe old method, thereby requiring less labor t0 turns with the shaft 6,and the other part is iastened 'to the eolie-pulley. Hence, when theparts are clutched the shaft (5 and Ycone-pulley revolve together,thereby driving the mule. The said clutch is connected when the mulestarts out,'and remains so while it is running out, and while thehead-twist is being put in.

.The cani-shaft c then makes ak quarter revolution, and the clutch t isdisconnected by the forked `lever u, which is operated by the cam' 40.

The pulley s now Iturns loosely on the shaft 6, while the mule isbacking off and running in.

Abelt, running from counter-shaft to the pulley W2, drives thecam-shaft, and backs off and runs in the mu e.

y `XVhen the mule arrives in, the parts t are again clutched, by theaction ot' forked lever u and arm 40. y Instead of the pulleyWW, I mayuse the pulley L2 and gear 1V 2, foi the purpose of running thecam-shaft c, and to back off and run in the mule, running the belt fromcounter-shaft to pulley IP.

The gear l 2 connect-s with the gear O2, to drive they carriage in, andalso connects with and drives the camshaft p, by using the outsideportion of the frictionclutch Gr2 as a gear, as shown in gs. 6 and 7,Sheet E. This enables me to dispense with several gears, and also withthe belt running from pulley F2, and gives more room for other parts ofthe mule; or the =conepulley's, extended in length to the gear S0, can

be used to run in the carriage as a second method of dispensing with thepulley W, the gear 80 being attached to the hub of the cone-pulley,instead of the pulley W2, as shown in iig. 2, Sheet F.'

In the shipping-motion, when the carriage is ready to start out, thebelt is running from the sin-all part of the cone-pulley 2 0 to thelarge part of the pulley s. As the carriage runs out, the belt isgradually guided to the other ends of the pulleys, increasing the speedas the belt is thus changed.

n This shipping ofthe belt on the cone-pulleys is produced by the useofthe following parts: shipper 7,

' lever 8,' stud 9, nut 10,'screw 11, chain-gear 12, chaingear 13, andchain 14.

The chain 14 passes around -the gears 12 and 13,

each end being attached to the carriage. As the carriage runs out, thechain is moved withit, turning the gear 12, and communicating motion, bymeans of the screw l1, nut 10,` and lever S, to the shipper 7, causlingit to guide the b'elt from one end of the pulley to the other. W'hen thecarriage returns in, the chain is carried in the opposite direction, andthe belt is guided back to its rst position on the pulleys.

The gear 12 is keyed to the screw-shaft 11, and, by' taking out the.key, the gear turns loosely on the screwshaft, permitting the carriagetorun in and out without changing the belt on the pulleys. XVith thisarrangement, the shipper may be set at any point on the pulleys, thusguiding the belt in one place all the time, thereby running the mulewithout varying the speed,.it` desired.

The pulley 41 runs loosely on the hub of the friction-clutch t.

When the mule is in, ready to start out, the belt may set so as to bepart-ly on this loose pulley and partly' on the cone-pulley s. Onlyapart of the power of the belt'would thus be applied to the cone-pulleys in starting the mule, thereby starting it more gently.

The screw 11 can be used either right or left hand, in the one casegiving an increase, and in the other,

running out.

a decrease of sp'eed to the mule while running out. This object can alsobe accomplished by arranging the chain 14 to `run either over or underfrom the chain-gear 12, on the screw 1l, to the carriage.

As the belt is shipped on the cone-pulleys, it inclines to the large endof the pulley 20,.r cndering a guide necessary near this pulley.

, For this purpose a rod, B2, having a guide, c", :rt-- tached, issuspended from the ceiling or door.

This rod B2 connects with the shipper 7, which is extended up to meet itat D2.'

The shipper 7 moves the rod B2 at the same 4time it moves the belt, thusguiding the belt o'n both pulleys alike.

IThe bolt connecting the shipper 7 and rod B2 is moved in a slot in oneor both oi' the ends, connected so as to allow the free movement of theshipper.

In the guide c2 is a small pulley, E2, for the edge of the belt to runupon, to avoid a friction of the belt on the side oi' the guide.

The cam-shaft c is driven by a belt ruiming from pulley F2 to thefriction-clutch G2.

This clutch is connected;by the spring't2, and disconnected by thepieces a2 l)2 0"l (Z2 coming round and striking the bevelled surface e2,on the escape-lever X.

When the escape-plate f2 revolves, and the pieces a? b2 c'Z d2 come incontact with the bevelled surface c, i

disconnecting the friction-clutch G2, the cam-sh aft con-r tinues itsmotion until stopped by the action of the said pieces in striking thestop J2. This stop J 2 and? the bevelled surface c2 are combined in onepiece on1 -the lever X.

method of having the bevelled surface on the four pieces a2, b2, c2, andd?. l

Vhen the cam-shaft c is still, something is necessary to hold some oneof the pieces a", lil, ci, or di, in contact with thestop J 2. For thispurpose I provide the spring-latch K2. K

XVhen the 'cam-shaft makes av quarter revolution, and some one of thepieces c2 b2 c2 d2 strikes the stop J2, the latch K2 springs back ofthese pieces, and prevents the cam-shaft or escape-plate from turningback.

Motion is coinm'unicatedto the carriage by the train of gears 1, 2, 3,6, and 70, connecting with clutch'- ear 82.

This clutch-gear 82 connects with the scrolls 83 and 84, on which is a`band, connecting with the carriage, by means of which the carriage isdriven out.

Asl use common means for running the carriage out and in, except inincreasing its speed, as herein described, I have not deemed itnecessary to particu larly set forth these operations.

Having thus fully described my invention,

What I claim ,as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The cone-pulleys, in combination with the rolls, spindles, andcarriage, by the means substantially las described, for the purpose ofincreasing the speed of the rolls, spindle, and carriage, while thecarriage is 2. The cone-pulleys, combined with the carriage,substantially as described, for the purpose of increasing the speed ofthe carriage'while running out.

3. he clutch A, lever B, latch G, and worm-wheel G, arranged andoperating substantially as described.

4. The clutch A, lever B, latch C, pulley s, pulley 20, intermediategears 2, 3, 4, or their equivalents, in combination, for the purpose ofincreasing the speed of the rolls.

5. The friction-cup 16, in combination with the bevelled 'portieri 15 ofthe clutch A, to stop the delivering-rolls, as described.

6. The cup 16, bevelled surface 15, in combination with the clutch Aand' lever B, arranged and operatingsubstantially as described.

This is an improvement over the oid' 7. The Wheel P, lever V, finger S,cam P, and lever X, arranged and operating substantially as described,for the purpose of regulating the head-twist.

8. The wheel P and lever V, in combination with' cam W, substantially-asdescribed'.

9. The s liell a, Worm b, shaft c, wheel e, gear f, cam W, rack g,slide-bar fi, linger l, and stand 30, arranged and operatingsubstantially as described.

10. The. shell a, in combination with the shaftc and cam W, asdescribed.

11. The latch m, finger l, slide-bar ,bar h, and rack g, in combination,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

12. lbe combination of latch m and -lever X, having the finger 32,'substantially as and for the purpose described.

13. The spring r, in combination With the plate o, latch 21, andratchetgear 22, substantially as described.

14. The leone-pulley s, clutch t, or its equivalent,

forked lever u, and cam 40, operating substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

15. The chain-,gear 12, chain 14, in combination with screw 11, nut 10,and shipper 7, substantially as described.

16. The pulley 41, loose on the bub of frictionclutch t, in combinationwith pulley s, substantially as described.

17. The pulley W2, in combination with cone-pulley s, and diction-clutcht, substantially as described.

18. The cone-pulley s, in combination with the gear 80 and pulley W2,substantially as described. Y

19. The scrolls 83 and 84, in combination with tbe conc-pulleys s and20.

The above specification signed by me, this 5th day of Eebruary, 1869. v

SETH D. PAUL.

lVitnesscs:

GEORGE A. WILBUR, SIMEON S. 000K.

